Never Fear, Thomas Barrow Is Here!
by MaxMattel666
Summary: Henry is attempting to spend some time with his stepson, but George isn't having it. So in comes George's favorite friend to the rescue, newly appointed butler, Thomas Barrow. Short and sweet, enjoy! Xoxo


"Come on darling," Mary addresses her son, holding his hand as they made their way into the library. "Don't you want to spend some time with Henry?" She asked, bending down next to George. The toddler shakes his head back and forth, signaling a _no._ Mary frowns for a moment, but stood up and put on a smile as her husband came bounding through the door.

"Hello, young lad!" He cheers enthusiastically, smiling down at George. But the toddler gave no response, and only stared back up at him. Henry shrugged his shoulders and turned to give Mary a kiss on the cheek.

"How's the little Talbot doing?" He questioned sincerely, placing a gentle hand on Mary's barely visible bump. She sighed quietly before responding.

"They are doing just fine. But now that you're back, how about we have our tea? I'll ring for some." Mary said cheerfully before glancing down at George, who seemed very preoccupied with watching nothing out through the window. She made her way over to the bell rope and pulled.

"How would you feel about going into the village with me, George?" Henry asked, after pecking his wife on the lips very quickly. George shook his head a little, but Mary responded for her son instead.

"I'm sure he would love that, wouldn't you, George?"

But before the toddler could answer, there was a knock at the door.

"Come in," Henry called out.

Mrs. Hughes made her way through the door. "You rang, m'lady?"

"Yes, could you please tell Barrow to bring us some tea? That would be wonderful." Mary requested.

"Certainly, m'lady," Mrs. Hughes replied, sweet as ever.

The head housekeeper turned to leave, and Mary took a seat on the red couch, across from Henry, and motioned for her son to join her.

"So how is business doing?" Mary questioned, still rather curious about her husband and Tom's car dealership.

Henry raised his eyebrows, and puffed his chest out a little bit. "I think that it's going rather well actually. It's all quite exciting. We've got someone looking in later this week, interested in buying one of our cars."

Mary nodded at the announcement, a proud look spread across her face. She was impressed.

"There's a fair tonight, I was thinking that if you're going down to the village anyways, then maybe you and George could go there as well. It would give you boys something fun to do," Mary suggested, looking over at her son. Henry grinned, "I think that's a very charming idea. How would you like that, George?"

George leaned in against Mary's arm, continuing to look at Henry with widened eyes. Just then, Thomas came through with the tea tray.

"Ah, tea. Lovely," Mary piped up. "Thank you, Barrow."

Thomas gave an affirmative nod towards his employer, and smiled sweetly at George before taking his post over by the table. Mary crossed the room and poured herself and Henry each a cup of tea.

"Here you are," she said, presenting the teacup to her husband. Henry took a seat on the couch and began to sip at his tea. George pulled away from his seat on the couch next to his mother and staggered over to the table.

"May I have a biscuit pwease?" He asked, looking up at the butler through his long, blonde lashes. Thomas grinned at the child.

"Of course, master George," He said, bending down to give the child a tea biscuit. George took the treat and thanked Thomas with a smile, before plodding back towards the couch.

"How about we go into the village for a little while, George? The fair is in town tonight." Henry spoke up as he set his cup of tea down. George fitfully pulled at one of the buttons on his little sailor outfit.

"No," he whispered, looking down at his preoccupied hands. A look of concern spread across Mary's face.

"But darling, it will be great fun. Please, won't you go with Henry?" George shook his head, and quickly turned his head to look over at Mr. Barrow that is, before looking back at his mother. The butler offered up a soft smile, trying to reassure the young boy, but it hadn't seemed to make much of an impact.

"No, it is okay, mama." George replied, his answer still unchanged. Mary rolled her eyes, and then looked over at Henry.

"Will you please take him anyways? Just for a little bit." Henry nodded, but looked solemn still.

"I think it will be nice, there's no need to fret, George." Henry went on, hoping to gain a bit of his stepson's affection. George shook his head again and looked down at his hands, which were now resting in his lap.

"But I don't wanna," George interjected; his words seemed to tumble over one another. Mary looked down at her son, her dark brows knitted together in a confused look.

"Darling, what ever is the matter?" Mary asked worriedly, placing a hand on George's slight shoulder. But her effort was to no avail; a few salty tears had already started to pool in George's big blue eyes.

"George?" Mary asked again.

"Shhh, George," Henry tried to calm his stepson as he rose up out of his seat. He frantically looking around, not knowing what to do about the small child's crying. Mary went in to embrace her son, but he pulled away, instead, pressing himself up into the side of the couch. Across the room, Thomas could feel the awkwardness starting to grow within the room, but most of all, he hoped that master George wasn't too upset.

"I- I'm sorry." Henry began, before looking towards Mary, "was it something I've said?"

Mary shook her head, and tried to hush George's every increasing sniffles.

"Could you ring for nanny? Maybe he's just tired…" she tried to explain. She knew it would be hard on her son, bringing a new man into their lives, when he had never known a father figure before. But she wished that this whole scene were only just a tantrum.

"George? Sweetheart is there anything I can do?" Mary continued, trying to calm her son.

"Bawwow, Bawwow," George managed to say through his snuffles. He rubbed at his eyes with pudgy fists, trying to wipe the tears away. Over by the table, Thomas raised an eyebrow at the sudden call of his name.

"I'm terrible sorry, Mr. Barrow, but could you please come over here for one moment?" Mary asked, her eyes wide. "I think that you may be the only one who can console master George, at the moment. You know he is ever so fond of you," she confessed.

Thomas eagerly nodded his head, "certainly, Lady Mary."

He quickly walked across the room, over to the couch where little George was sat. Henry took a few steps away, while Mary remained seated next to her son. "Bowwow!" George exclaimed, as the butler crouched down in front of the young boy. "Hello, master George," Thomas replied, smiling at the child. George reached a hand out towards Thomas, which he gladly held. "What ever is the matter?" Thomas asked. George sniffled a bit more, before rubbing at his left eye with his unoccupied hand.

"I don't want to go," George mumbled. Thomas frowned a bit at the child's confession; he knew that Lady Mary would be discouraged by it.

"Why is that?" Thomas asked, still hopeful that he could George down.

"Because I'd rather go with you, please Mr. Bawwow," George admitted, looking up at Thomas with his teary blue eyes. Out of the corner of his eye, Thomas could see Mr. Talbot take another step or two back. He could also see Lady Mary shift uncomfortably in her seat.

"Oh George," Thomas started, running his thumb across the back of the child's hand. "I must stay here though, and run the house. I'll still be here when you get back, I can promise you that." Thomas explained, wishing that he could do more. He had grown ever so fond of the boy, cared for him like he was family, just as he did with the other children of Downton. Even if he was just a little bit partial to young George.

"You're still my friend? Right, Mr. Bawwow?" George asked timidly, blinking away the last of his tears, which finally seemed to have subsided. Thomas smiled widely when he replied to this, "of course, master George. You've always got a friend in me, no matter what." Just then, George scooted himself forwards and wrapped his short arms around Thomas's neck, pulling the butler in for a hug. Thomas didn't know exactly what to do at first, with neither lady Mary or Mr. Talbot saying anything, but he pated George on the back nonetheless.

"No more tears tonight, alright?" He said as George untangled his arms. The young boy nodded with a meek smile. "Good lad," Thomas comments.

"Perhaps we should get him upstairs for a nap," Mary suggests, finally speaking up. "Yes, I think that would be a good idea," Henry adds in cautiously.

"Okay," George agrees, still looking up at Thomas. "Can I have a piggyback ride?" He asks sweetly.

"Darling," Mary starts.

"It's alright, m'lady," Thomas interjects. "I don't mind one bit. I'll bring him up to nanny."

Mary nods her head, "Very good then. You have been so helpful Mr. Barrow."

"M'lady, Mr. Talbot," Thomas addressed them before he turned around and let George jump up onto his back. The small boy giggles as the butler makes click-clacking sounds as they head out of the library. Once through the door, Thomas can no longer hear whatever it is that George's parents are discussing, instead he can only hear the giggles coming from right up by his shoulder.

"Thank you, Mr. Bawwow," George managed through his laughter.

"You're very welcome, master George," Thomas replied as they headed up the stairs towards the nursery. Once they reached the door, Thomas put the toddler down, and knocked. The nanny opened the door and greeted George and Thomas both nicely.

"Lady Mary thought it was time for master George to get a little nap in," he explained to her, as they all headed into the nursery.

"Of course," the nanny said, pulling back the covers on George's bed for him. George climbed right in, and reached over his pillow to grab his teddy bear.

"Do you not wish to change into sleep clothes, master George?" The nanny asked, but George shook his head _no._

"Have a good sleep then, master George," Thomas said, turning to leave.

"Mr. Bawwow, don't go," George called out from his bed. Thomas spun around and gave the small boy a funny sort of look.

"Will you tell me a story?" George asked innocently. Thomas couldn't help himself and smiled down at the sweet child. The butler sighed and pulled a chair over next to George's bed. "Alright, but just this once." Thomas let his hands come to rest on his knees, and George snuggled into his covers, arms wrapped tightly around his stuffed bear. Once they both seemed all situated, Thomas could finally begin. "Once upon a time, in a land far, far away…."


End file.
